TVs without tuners?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Is there such a thing as a HDTV which has no tuner at all? With more and more cable providers moving to Switched Digital Video (in which the only channel actually being delivered to the user is the one that they are presently watching), I don't see any future for CableCARDs, as they are incompatible with SDV. And since HDTVs would have to have CableCARDs for their tuners to be compatible with digital cable systems, which AFAIK are all encrypted, it seems more efficient to just leave the tuner out altogether. (As I understand it, most HDTV owners use DVRs anyway as their source of TV programming.)

So are there any HDTVs that have no tuner of any kind? Preferably between 42 and 50 inches in screensize.

 

[zephramc]

The Olevia 332H and 337H are both tunerless HDTVs (720p), though they are 32" and 37" respectively.

 

[RobertVA]

Manufacturers were making more HDTVs with only analog tuners for a while, but government regulations now require sets manufactured for sale in the US to have digital tuners if they are equipped with any TV tuner at all. So now its a monitor with no tuner at all or one with both digital and analog tuners. I'm not sure if there are any regulations that prevent manufacturers or retailers from confusing the issue by calling a monitor/display a high definition "TV".

I'm not so certain enough cable providers will go the switched video route to kill the market for digital cable ready televisions with the ability to receive a budget tier of digital cable services
(like local broadcasters and local public information channels) through either "in the clear" distribution or the two way cable card standard that is supposedly under development.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Manufacturers were making more HDTVs with only analog tuners for a while, but government regulations now require sets manufactured for sale in the US to have digital tuners if they are equipped with any TV tuner at all. So now its a monitor with no tuner at all or one with both digital and analog tuners. I'm not sure if there are any regulations that prevent manufacturers or retailers from confusing the issue by calling a monitor/display a high definition "TV".

Actually I think they're forbidden from calling the devices TVs if they have no tuner. So the proper term would be 'monitor'. That'd be what I'd want.

I mean, I have a perfectly good plasma TV right now, but I was just thinking ahead.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Don't throw that tuner out just yet!!

The cable company most likely isn't delivering all 19 megabits of your local TV stations ATSC signal down the line. Cable companies and satellite providers are notorious for squeezing the crap out of signals in order to maximize the number of channels they can shoehorn in.

You'd be amazed at the difference between the off-air and digital cable versions of your local stations.

AG

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Don't throw that tuner out just yet!!

The cable company most likely isn't delivering all 19 megabits of your local TV stations ATSC signal down the line. Cable companies and satellite providers are notorious for squeezing the crap out of signals in order to maximize the number of channels they can shoehorn in.

You'd be amazed at the difference between the off-air and digital cable versions of your local stations.

I have a DVR, so I basically have no choice anyway.

Besides, I *don't* have an antenna. Nor do I want one. They have a tendency to get knocked off the house during storms and stuff.

The only network shows I watch anyway are the L&O ones, and they look fine on our cable system.

 

[Michael Chris]

There was plenty when I was doing research for my family's TV. I would still get a tuner then. You never know if one of your locals will be dropped by your provider. I guess it depends on where you live, but you probably don't need an aerial antenna just some bunny ears.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

There was plenty when I was doing research for my family's TV. I would still get a tuner then. You never know if one of your locals will be dropped by your provider.

If my cable provider drops the HD version of a local channel, I'll learn to live with the SD version. Besides, as I said, I have a DVR, and I won't want to give that up.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

There was plenty when I was doing research for my family's TV. I would still get a tuner then. You never know if one of your locals will be dropped by your provider.

If my cable provider drops the HD version of a local channel, I'll learn to live with the SD version. Besides, as I said, I have a DVR, and I won't want to give that up.

I have a DVR too, but my TV has a digital tuner in it. It sometimes comes in handy for when there's a programming clash, or even when I'm recording something, but plan on watching it later, and want to watch something else. Or even, perish the thought, my DVR should break down and I should need to actually watch TV "Live" for a while.

Don't throw that tuner out just yet!!

The cable company most likely isn't delivering all 19 megabits of your local TV stations ATSC signal down the line. Cable companies and satellite providers are notorious for squeezing the crap out of signals in order to maximize the number of channels they can shoehorn in.

You'd be amazed at the difference between the off-air and digital cable versions of your local stations.

AG

That's not guarantee, although analogue is still broadcasting in the UK, a large proportion of people now have digital TV on through an aerial/antenna. Which has no HD as yet, but even the SD channels are being compressed by stupid amounts, and expected to be compressed even more, so they can fit 4 highly compressed HD channels on in the near future.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If my cable provider drops the HD version of a local channel, I'll learn to live with the SD version. Besides, as I said, I have a DVR, and I won't want to give that up.

I have a DVR too, but my TV has a digital tuner in it. It sometimes comes in handy for when there's a programming clash, or even when I'm recording something, but plan on watching it later, and want to watch something else.

That's why it's great to have a DVR with dual tuners.

Or even, perish the thought, my DVR should break down and I should need to actually watch TV "Live" for a while.

Live? What's that?

(seriously, I never watch TV live anymore. DVRs have made that obsolete. Never have to watch commercials! )

 

[CorporalClegg]

Wouldn't a HDTV without a tuner just be a monitor?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

If my cable provider drops the HD version of a local channel, I'll learn to live with the SD version. Besides, as I said, I have a DVR, and I won't want to give that up.

I have a DVR too, but my TV has a digital tuner in it. It sometimes comes in handy for when there's a programming clash, or even when I'm recording something, but plan on watching it later, and want to watch something else.

That's why it's great to have a DVR with dual tuners.

Or even, perish the thought, my DVR should break down and I should need to actually watch TV "Live" for a while.

Live? What's that?

(seriously, I never watch TV live anymore. DVRs have made that obsolete. Never have to watch commercials! )

I hardly ever watch live TV either, and I too have a dual tuner DVR, but there are times when 2 things are recording, and then someone will call and say 'turn the news on' or something similar.

A couple of years back, my DVR broke down, and it took me a week to repair it. The tuner came in handy then. Or what if your cable/satellite signal went during your favourite show?